Improved carpet-cleaning machine



'UNITED STATES PATENT Quieren,

THEODOR LKE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

`IMPROVED CARPET-CLEANING MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 88,188, dated March 23, 1869.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODOR LKE, of St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Oarpet Cleaning Machines; a'nd I do hereby declare that the following is a full and clear description thereof, reference `bein g had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to machines for cleaning and dusting carpets, mattings, and floor or other cloths; and the nature ofthe said invention is, rst, in the adaptation of a suitable apron of hooks and ropes for attaching the carpets to the winding drums or rollers, so

that all parts of the carpet may reach the surface of beater-action; and, secondly, in the method of attaching thelashing ropes or strips to the revolving beaterarms, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

To enable those herein skilled to make and use my said improvement, I will now describe its detail construction and operation, referring to- Figure 1 as a plan; to Fig. 2 as an end elevation; to Fig. 3 as a sectional elevation; and to Fig. 4 as a detail view of the attachment of the lash to the beater-arm.

The general arrangement of my said machine is similar to that described in the Letters Patent issued to me for improved carpetcleaner, numbered 65,683, and dated June 11, 1867.

The operating devices of this improvement are supported in a proper wooden frame, A.

The drum B receives the carpet or matting, this being wound up thereon.

In the operative condition of the machine, the carpet passes up and over the roller C, and around the roller D at the rear end of the frame A, and therefrom to the drum E, where- On it is wound. As the carpet is unwound from B it is cleansed by the beaters and lashes; and in order that the ends of the carpet may be reached by the beaters I arrange the ropes F and hooks f, said ropes attaching to the drums whereon the carpet is wound, and holding the carpet by said hooks j', as indicated in Fig. 3.

In order that the carpet shall be caused to traverse, I arrange to rotate the drums B and E as follows: Froln the pulley H, which is driven by the power-source, I connect by belt h with the intermediate pulley I. On the same shaft with said pulley I is the smaller pulley i, with belt K, connecting with the pulley k on the shaft c of the drum E, and driving said drum. A smaller pulley, k', on the same shaft and the belt L transmit motion to the pulley Z on the shaft l) of the drum B, thus rotating the same.

In order to cleanse the carpet in its traverse, as aforesaid, I arrange the beater-shaft M, driving the same by belt M1 and pulley M2, connecting with the power shaft. On said shaft M are arranged the arms m, which hold the lashes ml. As the shaft M is revolved, the lashes m1 strike the carpet while traversing between the roller O and the drum B, and thus cause the dust to fly off.

As it frequently occurs that the carpet is not 0f the full width, and that some of the beater-lashes would thus lash the sub-frame, and not the carpet, I have arranged the lashes m1 .for ready removal or reattachment, as follows: To the forward end of the arms m I se cure the' hooks m2, as in Fig. 4, these hooks being closed by the spring mi. To the end of the lashes m1 I connect a suitable ring, m4, an d said ring being slipped into the hook (by depressing the spring for the passage) the spring m3 then prevents the ring mf* and the lash from4 disengagement from the hook m2.

In the operation of my machine, when the lash would be liable to touch the sub-frame, or be otherwise non-active, the operator may readily remove the lash and its ring from the hook m3, and, similarly, when an additional lash is needed, such may be readily inserted on the arm m, as required, and this without interruption of the operation of the machine.

'Io more thoroughly cleanse the carpet a rotary brush, N, is arrangedto operate upon the carpet as it traverses between the rollers O and l).

When the carpet is subject to the action of the lashes ml, in order that these may not tear through or otherwiseinj ure the same, I arrange between the roller O and drum B an inclined frame, I,with the spring-battens O for an elastic support to the carpet. Said battens are loosely guided in the end strip O', and are supported on coiled or other spring o, thus permitting the carpet to deflect under cach lashing. In order that the deflections shall not be excessive, the frame P is arranged to limit the dcscent of the battens O; and to limit the rebound of the batten under impulse of the spring o,a check-Wire, o', is attached to the frame I), the end being therein secured7 and the upper end of said Wire o being' fastened in the batten O thus limiting,` the rebound aforesaid by the lengt-h of said check-Wire, as indicated in Fig. 3.

It is plain that by the rebound of the battens O, the cleansing; operation is greatly in* creased, and that by the especial construction ofthe parts as here detailed no damage can be done to the carpet or other cloth in said operation of cleansing.

Having` thus fully described my intention7 p 1. In combination With the rollers of a carpet-beating` machine, the apron attachment composed of the hooks and ropes7 substantially as hereinbefore described.

2. Also making the iiexible beaters removable by means of snap-hooks7 or equivalent devices7 substantially as set forth.

In Witness of said invention I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of- THEODOR LKE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE P. HERTHEL, Jr., WM. XV. HERTHEL. 

